Pneumatic stacker.



No. 734,067. PATENTED JULY 21, 1903.

' L. HOLLAND-LBTZ.

PNEUMATIC STAGKBR.

APPLICATION 1 1.21) rm. a,.19o2.,

' 10 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

tie. 734,067.

UNIT D STATES Patented July 21, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS HOLLAND-LETZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PLANOMANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,067, clated'July21, 1903.

Application filed February 3, 1902. Serial No. 92,326. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs HOLLAND-LETZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Stackers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention is concernedwith certain improvements in that class ofdevices known as to wind-stackers, which are used in discharging straw,shredded fodder, &c., from separators, corn-huskers, shredders, &c., inany desired direction or elevation to form a stack of the materialoperated on, and'is designed to produce a device of theclass describedwhich shall be simpleiu its construction, yet strong and durable, andcapable of adjustment to deliver the material in every possible employedin moving the telescoping section of the pipe to lengthen or shorten it,and finally with the novel construction of the deflecting-plates thatcontrol the direction of the discharge from the outer end of the pipe.To illustrate my invention, I annexhereto two sheets of drawings, inwhich the same reference characters are used to designate identicalparts in all the figures, of which Figure l is a side elevation of oneend of a corn h usker and shredder, showing my invention appliedthereto. end of the discharge-pipe, showing a difierent adjustment'ofthedeflecting-plates. Fig. 3 is a section on the line A A of Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a detailoft-hemechanismforoperatingthewinding-reel to'raise or lowerthe discharge-pipe.

Fig. 5 is a central vertical section through the fan-casing and'fan.Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail in section through one of the swivelsooperatingthe telescoping section of the pipe Fig. 2 is a View of the 'iswound; and Fig. 10. is an enlarged detail thereof in section, showinghow the cable is secured to the drum.

The fan-casing is attached directly to the delivery end of the machine11, completely closing said end,except forthe eye 12,through which thestraw and shredded fodder are drawn into the fan-casing. The fan-casingis built up of the back piece 13, the front or eye piece 14, and theperipheral strip 15, connecting these two pieces, and of the spiralshape customarily employed in this class of devices. The back piece 13is of the shape in cross-section clearly shown in Fig. 5, being convexon its inner face and concave on its outer face and having the longbearing 16 for the fan-shaft 17 projecting from the center of its outerface, which is preferably strengthened, and the bearing 16, supported bythe radial ribs 18, formedthereon'. The outer ends of these ribs 18 havethe eyes 19 formed thereon, through whichpass the bolt-rods 20, by whichthe peripheral strip or curved plate 15 is securely clamped between thegrooves 21 and 22, formed on the inner edges of the back piece 13 andthe eyepiece 14-, respectively, so as to form an air-tight'casing. Theeye-piece 14 is of a generally convex shape on its outer face andcorrespondingly concaved on its innor face. To get a considerable spacebetween the inuer edges of-the fan-blades 23, the piece is concavedsuddenly at 24 and again at 25 immediately adjacent the eye 12. Theeyepiece 14 is likewise provided with radial ribs and eyes correspondingto the ribs 18 and eyes 19 of the back piece and have the samefunctions.

The casing of the machine, as seen in Fig. 5, is so shaped and locatedthat the straw or shredded materials slide or are drawn down the incline26 into the eye of the fan. The conical back of the fan is secured tothe correspondingly-shaped but smaller casting 28, secured on the innerend of the shaft 17, the outer end of which is journaled in the bearing29, secured on the yoke-piece 30, preferably constructed of a strip ofangle-iron and secured to two of the ribs 18. The yokepiece also servesto hold the belt 31 upon the fan-driving pulley 32, secured on the shaft17. The belt 31 is preferably driven from the cylinder or shredder-headshaft 33, its direction being changed by passing over the verticalidler-pulleys 34, suitably journaled at one side of the casing. Theplates 23 are arranged tangentially of the cone 28 and have their innerends cut away somewhat, as seen at 35, so that a considerable space atthe center of the cone is free from any projection of any character uponwhich the material can catch and clog. A considerable open space existsbetween the eye and the center of the fan, and it will be readilyapparent that material drawn into the eye of the fan will be rapidly andeificiently discharged by the blades thereof in a powerful current ofair, that will carry it with great velocity to the outermost end of thestacker.

The discharge end of the spiral fan-casing is drawn in to the form of aninclined tube 36, which has secured on the outer end thereof thevertical flange 37, which is circular in its outline as it crosses theflattenedor elliptical pipe at an acute angle thereto. This flange 37,as illustrated in detail at 36, has the bearing-surface 38, whichcooperates with the bearing-surface 39 of a complementaryshapedcooperating flange 40, secured on the elbow-section 41 of the pipe. Tohold these flanges together with firmness and yet permit theelbow-sections being rotated relative to the section 36, the bearinglugs42 are formed at intervals on the outer edges of the flange and havepassing through them the bolts 43, which have interposed between theirheads and the socket 44, secured thereon, the flanged roller 45, whichtakes over the edge of the flange 37 and holds the flanges securelytogether, while permitting the rotation of the section 41. A helicallycoiled expanding spring 46 is interposed between the nut on the ends ofthe bolt 43 and the lug 42, so as to hold the roller 45 yieldingly incontact with the flange 37. The upper end of the elbow-section 41 isprovided with a flange 47, similar to the flange 37, cooperating withthe flange 48, similar to the flange 40 and secured on the, lower end ofthe pipe-section 49 and held together for rotation by the sameconnections as are employed on the flanges 37 and 40. The lower end ofthe pipe-section 49 has the elbow portion 50, and by an examination ofFigs. 1 and 5 it will be apparent that these swivel-joints thus formedin the pipe, in connection with the two elbow portions, will permit meto adjust the section 49 at any desired angle to the vertical and directit toward any point of the compass, so that the discharge of the strawor fodder therefrom can be easily controlled.

Mounted to slide upon the straight portion of the pipe-section 49 is thestraight telescoping pipe-section 5l,which is just large enough to slidesmoothly thereon, and its inner limit of movement is controlled by thecollar 52, secured on the section 49. This collar 52 is formed with thearms 53 on its upper side between which passes the elongated strip 54,secured at its outer end to the pipe-section 51 and having its inner endextended along the section 49. Passing to the inner end of the bar 54 isa rope, or preferably a wire cable 55, which extends forwardly beneath asheave 56, journaled between the arms 53, and then extends rearwardlyover a preferably helicallygrooved winding-drum 57, which is journaledin the bearing-bracket 58, bolted to the top of the section 49, justbeyond the elbow 50. As seen in Figs. 1 and 3, the flanges of the sheave56 contact with the upper edges of the U-shaped channel-bar 54, so thesheave 56 also acts as an antifriction roller. As a convenient method ofmounting this winding-drum I provide a handle 59 with the horizontalportion 60, which passes through the large bearing-aperture in the ear61 and has the squared portion 62 immediately adjacent thereto, whichcooperates with the squared apertures 63, formed in the hub of the drum.Beyond the squared portion 62 is the reduced circular portion 64, whichpasses through the small bearing-aperture in the car 65, in which it issecured by any suitable means, such as the cotter-pin 66. The cable issecured to the drum 57, at the center thereof, conveniently by themechanism shown in detail in Fig. 10, where it will be seen that I forma diagonal recess 67 in the periphery of the drum, through which ispassed alink 68, which surrounds the cable 55 and a Wedge 69, which isforced between the inner surface of the drum and the end of the link, soas to draw a portion of the cable 55 into the recess 67 and bind itsecurely in place. After a few turns around the drum the cable passes onto the inner end of the bar 54, to which both ends of the cable willnowbe seen to be secured. With the construction herein shown anddescribed it will be apparent that by turning the crank 59 in onedirection or the other the outer telescoping section 51 will be extendedor retracted, as the case may be, by reason of its being secured to thebar 54, which is moved by the operation of the cable. To support thepipe in any desired position of adjustment, I fasten a rope or cable 70to the cars 53 and extend it back over a sheave 71, which is mounted toswing in any desired position upon the upper end of the mast 72, whichupper end is, as seen in Figs. 1 and 7, inclined so as to bring it overthe central line of the machine. Its lower end is pivotally secured by abolt 73 to one of the side bars 74 of the framework of the machine, andit is normally held in its vertical position by means of the strap 75,through the eye of which it passes and which is removably bolted orotherwise secured to the side bar 76 of the machine. The upper end ofthemast may further be supported against the strain tending to bend itforward by means of the adjustable guy-rod 77, secured to its upper'end,fastened to some convenient projection, as 78, on the machine. When themachine is folded for transportation, as indicated in dotted lines inFig. 1, the strap is removed and the mast swung down to dotted-lineposition. The inner end of the cable 70 is wound upon a roller 79, theend of which is shown in the detail view of Fig. 4, which is mounted insuitable bearings formed in the framework and has on the end thereof agear-wheel 80, which meshes with the gear-pinion 81, secured to theinner end of the winding-handle 82, so that by the ex ercise ofcomparatively little power the heavy pipe can be raised to any desiredposition.

To direct the fodder at any desired angle after it leaves the end of thespout, I employ a deflecting apparatus. (Illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.)This apparatus is preferably located on the short sleeve 83, which ismounted to rotate on the outer end of the section 51 between the stops84 on the rear side and the flange 85, formed on the outer end of thepipe 51. A pair of strings 86, suitably secured to the sleeve 83, enableme to rotate it to any desired angle. The deflecting-plates arepreferably mounted on a short triangular hood 87, which is secured tothe sleeve 83 and preferably extends over about? one hundred and eightydegrees thereof. The outer end of the hood has hinged thereto the firstdeflecting-plate 88, which is of at least as great a width as thediameter of the pipe. A flange or strip 89, of angle-iron, may besecured to the outer end of the hood 87 to stiifen itand also to serveas a stop for the movement of the controlling-lever, to be described, inits outermost position. A similar flange or strip 90 is secured to theouter end of the plate 88, to which in turn is pivoted a similardeflecting-plate 91. cured to one side thereof the lever 92, which issuitably curved to cooperate with the strips 89 and 90, as seen in thetwo positions shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 2. This lever 92has a cord 93 extending back to the machine, from whence the lever 92can be operated. The lever 92, which is of the first class, is fulcrumedon the end of the swinging bar 94:, the inner end of which is pivoted tothe sleeve 83 at any suitable point, such as the end of the hood 87.This lever 94 is, as clearly shown, bent so as to keep it out of thepath of the material that may be discharged; A coiled spring 95connected to suitable lugs on the lever 92'and the fulcrumlever-94, asclearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, serves to hold the plates 88 and 91yieldingly at an obtuse angle relative to each other. By pulling thecord 93 it will be seen that these plates can be adjusted between theextreme position shown in full lines in Fig. l and in dotted linesin-Fig. 2, so as to permit the discharge from the end of the pipe tomove straight out or to be deflected downward at any desired angle or tobe deflected sidewise at the same angle,which result'is ac complished byturning the sleeve 83.

This deflecting-plate 91 has se-.

While I have shown my invention as embodied in the forms which I atpresent consider best adapted to carry out its purposes,

it will be understood that it is capable of some modifications and thatI do not desire to be limited in the interpretation of the followingclaims, except as may be necessitated by the state of the prior art.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with thefan-casing having the concave back with the shaft-bearing formedtherein, and having radial ribs on the outer surfacethereof bracing saidback and supporting the bearing, of the fan consisting of the conicalback complementary to said fancasing back, the blades on said conicalback,

and the shaft jonrnaled in said bearing, theyoke securedto a pair of theribs on said back of the fan-casing, and driving means secured to saidshaft between the yoke and the bearing.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with thefan-casing having the concave back with the shaft-bearing formed thereinand having radialribs on the outer surface thereof bracing said back andsupporting the bearing, of the fan consisting of the conical fan-backcomplementary to said fan-casing back, the blades on said conicalfan-hack,and the shaft journaled in said back, the yoke secured to apair of the ribs on said back, and the belt-pulley secured to said shaftbetween said yoke and bearing.

3. In a device of the class described, the

, combination with the fan-casing having the formed therein and havingthe peripheral groove, the convex front having the eye formed thereinand the peripheral groove opposed to the groove on the back, theperipheral strip 15 adapted to fit in said grooves, the eyes formed onthe peripheries of the front and back pieces, and the bolts cooperatingwith said eyes to clamp the peripheral strip between the front and backpieces; substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. 'In a device of the class described, the combination with thefan-casing consisting of the concave back with the fan-shaft bearingformed therein and having the radial ribs thereon terminating in theeyes at their periphery, said back having the peripheral groove therein,the convex front piec'ehaving the eye therein and the radial ribsextending from said eye to the eyes formed in the periphery and havingthe peripheral groove therein, the peripheral strip 15 having its edgesin said grooves, and the bolts passing through the eyes to clamp theperipheral strip in place; of the fan consisting of the conical fan-backcomplementary to the fan-casing back, the blades on said conical back,and the shaft journaled in said back, the yoke secured to said back,andthe belt-pulley secured to said shaft between said yoke and hearing; allcombined and cooperating substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with thefan-casing having a short pipe-section projecting therefrom, of theelbow swiveled thereon, and another pipesection having an elbow at itsinner end and swiveled onto the elbow-joint, said swiveljoints formingacute angles with the axis of the sections; substantially as described.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with thefaibcasing having a short pipe-section projecting therefrom, saidpipe-section being provided at its end with a flange set at an acuteangle to the axis of the pipe, of the elbow-joint having the flanges onits ends at acute angles to the axis of the pipe where they cut it andat right angles to each other, another pipe-section having an elbow atits inner end and terminating in a flange cooperating with the outermostflange of the elbow-joint, and means for holding said flanges yieldinglyin operative engagement.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with thefan-casing having a short pipe-section projecting therefrom, saidpipe-section being provided at its end with a flange set at an acuteangle to the axis of the pipe, of the elbow-joint having the flanges onits ends at acute angles to the axis of the pipe where they cut it andat right angles to each other, another pipe-section having an elbow atits inner end and terminating in a flange cooperating with the outermostflange of the elbow-joint, and means for holding said flanges yieldinglyin operative engagement consisting of the sleeves carried at the outeredges of one of each pair of flanges and having the yieldingspring-pressed member movable therein to engage the adjacent cooperatingflange.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with thefan-casing having a short pipe-section projecting therefrom, saidpipe-section being provided at its end with a flange set at an acuteangle to the axis of the pipe, of the elbow-joint having the flanges onits ends at acute angles to the axis of the pipe where they cut it andat right angles to each other, another pipe-section having an elbow atits inner end and terminating in a flange cooperating with the outermostflange of the elbow-joint, and means for holding said flanges yieldinglyin operative engagement consisting of the sleeves formed on the edges ofone of each of said pair of flanges at right angles thereto, the boltsin said sleeves, the flanges rollers on said bolts overhanging andcooperating with the adjacent cooperating flange, and thehelically-coiled spring surrounding said bolt and serving to hold theroller in engagement with its flange.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with thepipe-section 49, of the section 51 adapted to slide thereon, a cableattached to the section 51, the pulley 56 and the winding-drum 57carried by said section 49 over which the cable passes, and means forsecuring said cable to said drum consisting of the recess 67 in theperiphery of the drum through which the link 68 passes, and the wedge 69passing through said link on the interior of the drum and serving todraw the portion of the cable inside the link into the aperture in thedrum; substantially as described.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination with thepipe-section 49, of the section 51 adapted to slide thereon, a cableattached to the section 51, the pulley 56 carried by said section 49over which the cable passes, the winding-drum 57 also carried by thesaid section 49 and to which the cable is fastened, and means forsupporting and rotating said drum consisting of the yoke 58 having thecollar 61 with a circular aperture therein on one side and the collar onthe opposite side with the smaller circular aperture therein, the crank59 having the circular bearingport-ion 60 and the reduced circular end64 and the intermediate portion angular in cross-section and cooperatingwith the correspondingly-shaped recesses in the elbow of the drum; allcombined and 006perating substantially as and for the purpose described.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with the fan anddischarge-pipe connected therewith, of the plate pivoted to the outerend of said pipe, the second plate pivoted to the first plate, and meansfor moving said plates simultaneously for the purpose described.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination with the fan anddischarge-pipe connected therewith, of the plate pivoted to the outerend of said pipe, the second plate pivoted to the first plate, and meansfor moving said plates simultaneously consisting of the lever secured tothe outer plate and pivoted on a swinging fulcrum-lever pivoted on theend of the pipe.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination with the fan anddischarge-pipe connected therewith, of the plate pivoted to the outerend thereof, the second plate pivoted to the first plate, the leversecured to the second plate, the swinging fulcrum pivoted to the outerend of the pipe upon which the lever is pivoted, and a spring connectingsaid lever and said swinging fulcrum.

15. In a device of the class described, the

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combination with the fan and discharge-pipe connected therewith, of thetriangular curved hood secured to the outer end thereof, the platepivoted to the outer end of the hood, the second plate pivoted to theouter edge of the first plate, and means for moving said platessimultaneously; substantially as and for the purpose described.

16. In a device of the class described, the combination with thepipe-section 49, of the section 51 adapted to slide thereon and providedwith the bar 54 projecting over the pipe 49, a cable attached tothe'section 51, and means for moving said cable to vary the position ofthe section 51 including the sheave 56 over which said cable passes andwith the periphery of which the bar 54 engages.

17. In a device of the class described, the combination with thepipe-section 49, of the section 51 adapted to slide thereon having thechannel-bar 54 secured on the end thereof, a cable attached to the bar54, the winding drum 57 carried by the section 49 over which the cablepasses, and the sheave 56 secured to the section 49 and over which thecable passes and with which the edges of the channel-bar .54 cooperate;substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I alfix, my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS HOLLAND-LETZ.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. MCELROY, SAMUEL K. DENNIS.

